1984 anti-Sikh riots: SC appoints panel to examine 241 cases (Lead)

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a panel comprising two of its former judges to examine the justification for closing 241 anti-Sikh riot cases probed by the Special Investigation Team.

A bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Amitava Roy and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar gave three months time to the Supervisory Committee to examine the 1984 riot cases that were closed and submit its report.

Court directed next hearing of the matter on November 28, 2017.

The apex court order came after the Centre on Wednesday left it to the court to take a final call on the matter.

The court was given the details of closure report in 199 cases in a sealed cover.

The bench ordered that same be handed over to the supervisory committee.

The centre would extend all the secretarial facilities to the supervisory committee, the bench ordered.

The court was told that of the 250 cases that were investigated by the SIT, the closure report was filed in 241 cases.

The court was informed that nine cases were pending with the SIT.

Two cases are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The court order on the appointment of supervisory committee comprising two former judges of the top court came on a 2016 petition by one S. Gurlad Singh Kahlon – a member of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee.

Kahlon had contended that SIT, set up in February 2015 to investigate the cases that were earlier closed for lack of sufficient evidence, had utterly failed in carrying out the probe.

He had contended that the SIT was given six months time to complete its mandate, and on August 12, 2015, it was given an extension of one year.

The top court had on January 16 this year sought a comprehensive status report on the probe into the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases being investigated by the SIT.

In another matter relating to investigations into the killings of Sikhs in Kanpur in 1984, the court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government.